


Assassin and the Beast

by thechongz



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Hoshi Meguri AU, M/M, gaku and ryuu are best bros, i have literally no idea what to tag this, i just really wanted to write about iori/coda's ears, i need to go back to writing abo, it cant really be considered fluff can it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 16:42:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16245677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thechongz/pseuds/thechongz
Summary: Erin finds comfort in the way Coda’s lips soften into a smile, finds familiarity when Coda nags at him to be a little less reckless.He doesn’t want their time together to come to an end.





	Assassin and the Beast

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the hoshimegu character (and planet) descriptions! I'm not used to typing in present tense pls forgive my grammar ;;;

Erin sighs, staring out at the vast expanse of Lama’s land from his position atop the steel fixture. 

It's a boring day; it always is, and Erin usually spends his time following Orion around on patrols. Today, though, the King is cooped up in his office, looking over and approving plans to improve the infrastructure of buildings on their Star. 

Lama is a Star overflowing with metal resources and it is also, among the six Stars, the Star with the most impressive military prowess. But for many years, the citizens of Lama were engaged in an internal war of sorts; the previous King wasn’t a good ruler, never once putting the citizens as his priority whenever he made decisions. 

It caused a divide among the citizens – those on the previous King’s side and those who fought to overthrow him. 

The previous King’s son, Orion, belonged to the latter group. And as his attendant, it was natural that Erin followed Orion. They, along with others who shared their cause, rose up to Orion’s father and Orion successfully displaced him as Lama’s ruler. 

The first few months following the King’s downfall were tough. Not everyone supported Orion, although Erin knew for a fact that Orion was the best ruler that Lama could have. It was the main reason why he swore his loyalty to Orion, after all. 

Unlike his father, Orion puts the citizens of Lama before himself. It is precisely because of this that Orion has a rather turbulent past with his father. Orion doesn’t hate his father, not completely, even if he  _does_  completely disagree with any and all decisions he has made for their Star. Nonetheless, their relationship is rocky at best, and his father has long accepted the fact that Orion is now Lama’s King. 

It has been three years since their coup d'état, and the citizens of Lama who once protested against Orion’s rule have been able to see that, despite his rough exterior, Orion truly does want what is best for the citizens. 

Times in Lama have been peaceful for the most part, save for the occasional fights that break out when citizens have a disagreement. Orion likes to settle those matters personally, and Erin goes along with him every time, just in case. Apart from that, though, Erin doesn’t have much to do. 

His official title is the King’s attendant, but few know of the redhead’s past as an assassin. He was an exceptional assassin, still is, and he doubles as the King’s personal bodyguard. Erin doesn’t completely remember when or where he met Orion, but he  _does_  remember the day that he pledged his allegiance to the then Prince. 

It was on a rainy day, months after they first met, that Orion brought up the topic to Erin. “How would you like to work for me?” Orion asked, not turning to look at the assassin behind him. 

Orion intrigued Erin; it wasn’t often that he met people who were willing to hang around with him like this, much less the Prince of their Star. It was even less often that they were comfortable enough to stand with their back facing him. Erin could have killed Orion, so many times, but something told him that that wasn’t the right move to make. 

It’s interesting being with Orion, as disciplined and unsmiling as he is. Erin agreed to his proposition, more because he was bored than because he actually wanted to work for Lama’s Prince. He had more than enough time to kill. And, time after time, Orion didn’t disappoint. 

A glimmer from the corner of his eye snaps Erin out of his daze, and he glances in the direction of the source of the light. It's already well into the late afternoon, and the sun is beginning to set. Erin spots a familiar caravan in the distance, and a playful smile lights up his face. 

He recognises the emblem on its side as one from the Star of Bestia, and Erin makes his way to the window of Orion’s office. “Your Majesty,” Erin calls out, gaining the attention of the silver-haired male sitting behind the heavy metal desk. 

He grimaces when, as usual, Orion doesn’t even flinch at the sudden intrusion. The King has long gotten used to Erin showing up at his window, never mind the fact that it’s several storeys from the ground floor. Then again, Orion didn’t flinch the first time Erin made his appearance like this, either. Erin has yet to successfully surprise the King, but one day he will. 

Orion’s office is as plain as the rest of the city – Lama is, after all, abundant in metal. Most, if not all, of their buildings are made of iron and steel, and Erin has always thought it was terribly  _boring_. But it is how their Star is, so he can’t exactly complain. Orion would only offer himself a raised brow in response to such complaints, anyway, and Erin has long learnt that there is no point trying. His King is satisfied with the lack of colour in their city, doesn’t see a need to change the status quo. 

“Yes?” Orion asks, briefly looking up from the blueprint spread over his work desk. It's for a new library on the other end of the city, Erin knows, because the citizens have been clamouring for it to be built for many months now. 

“Can I go out for a bit?” 

“What for?” Orion sets his notes aside, expression blank as always. “Are you bored?” 

“Very,” Erin replies gravely. Then he grins. “The Burst Roar is here again!” 

Without needing to ask, Orion understands. “Go then. Just be back by dinner. Ask Fang if he and his subordinate want to join us. We're free tonight, and it’s been a while since I’ve spoken to Fang.” 

“Okay!” 

With a salute, Erin disappears back out the window, looking around for the caravan. He spots it easily enough, a bright speck of colour standing out in the dull grey tones of the city, and he makes his way towards it by jumping from one building to another. 

Burst Roar is a trading caravan from Bestia, the Star of Beasts. They don’t come to Lama very often, not because they don’t want to, but because Lama doesn’t have much else to offer apart from various types of metal. 

When they do come to Lama, though, Erin is always sure to follow them around. He has never once seen the members of Burst Roar in their true form, and  _boy_ does he want to. The younger of the travelling duo piques Erin’s interest much more than the elder – Erin  _really_  wants to see Coda remove his turban, although all his previous requests asking him to do so have ended in failure. 

After all, Erin doesn’t get to leave Lama very often, always staying by his King’s side and protecting him from any potential harm. He has only heard stories of the people of Bestia, of the physical characteristics of animals that all of them possess. He can’t help but be curious, and Burst Roar only comes to Lama once every few months. 

Dropping onto the ground, Erin breaks into a sprint. It doesn’t take long for him to catch up to the caravan, now stopped in front of an inn, just as its owners step out. “Fang-san! Coda!” Erin greets, gaining the attention of the two travellers. 

At the sound of Erin’s voice, Coda sighs. “...Erin-san,” he greets reluctantly, valuing courtesy even when he doesn’t want to entertain Erin’s antics. Unlike Orion, Coda has the sense to be wary of Erin. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t know of Erin’s identity as an ex-assassin; the air of danger that Erin carries around remains the same as before, and Coda trusts his instincts. 

Fang’s greeting is much more cheerful than Coda’s ever could be, even though they have only just arrived at their lodging for the night and were far from being settled in. “Erin-kun! It’s good to see you again! What brings you here today?” 

The first question Erin asks them is always the same. “Do you guys have anything rare?” 

The duo are no strangers to Erin’s quest to spring a surprise on his King. In spite of the fact that they only come to Lama once every couple of months, Erin’s question remains unchanged. Coda wonders what is with Erin’s apparent need to surprise Orion, but he can’t for the life of him figure it out. 

Fang shakes his head with an amused chuckle. “Not this time, Erin-kun. Not anything that I think would elicit any sort of reaction from Orion, anyway,” he replies apologetically. 

He and Orion are old friends, having met when Fang just started travelling with the previous leader of Burst Roar. To some extent, Fang understands why Erin is so insistent on surprising Orion. Even as long as he’s known the King of Lama, Fang doesn’t get to see Orion smile very often, much less be genuinely surprised by something. The one and only time he’s seen Orion look shocked is when his mother passed away many years ago. 

Erin pouts, and Coda wills away the unbidden thought that appears in his mind. _Cute._  

“What brings you here this time?” is the next question Erin asks, followed by, “and how for how long?” 

“We have books from Sirena and Mistero,” Fang says, “for the new library that’ll be built? And of course, a variety of other merchandise made by the various Stars. I reckon we’ll be here for four days or so, then we’ll be off to Alba.” 

“That’s really soon,” Erin sighs. “Shall I help you unload your luggage?” 

Before Coda has the chance to decline the offer, Fang is nodding. “That would be really helpful.” 

Erin beams, and he picks up the suitcase nearest to him, which happens to be Coda’s. “Ah, Erin-san-” 

“It’s fine, Coda!” Erin assures. Coda sincerely hopes Erin doesn’t open said suitcase. “Let’s go!” 

 

✵✵✵ 

 

“So, where did you two go before coming to Lama?” 

“We were actually in Bestia for the past month,” Fang supplies. “It was my brother’s birthday, then my mother’s, so we stayed for a little longer than usual. Before that, though, we paid a visit to Eterno.” 

“What’s it like there?” 

“Erin-san is awfully curious, isn’t he?” Coda deadpans. He understands why Erin isn’t as familiar with the other Stars as they are, but he thought that he would’ve gone there at least once before. “It’s much hotter on Eterno than it is here, that’s for sure. There isn’t much natural greenery to see there, either, so they rely a lot on the other Stars for vegetable imports.” 

“Sounds boring.” Erin kicks a pebble out of the way, waving his greeting at the owners of stores lined up along the streets. 

The trio are making their way back to the palace; the city hasn’t changed much since Fang and Coda were last in Lama, but Erin offers to show them around regardless. 

They entertain him with stories of their travels, telling him what the people on other Stars were like, the things they do for a living. It isn’t much different from Lama, and Erin often hears the same stories being repeated every time. He doesn’t mind, though. It's a welcome change from the mundaneness of being Orion’s attendant. 

Coda doesn’t seem willing to converse much with Erin, as usual, but he also doesn’t want to subject Fang to Erin’s endless curiosity. He pitches into the conversation when he’s able to, mildly amused by the way Erin’s eyes sparkle at the prospect of visiting the other Stars. 

He doesn’t dislike Erin, not particularly. Erin’s curiosity about anything outside of Lama is, dare Coda admit it, rather endearing. Still, Coda doesn’t know a lot about Erin, only that he’s the attendant and personal guard to Lama’s King. It’s the unknown that Coda isn’t fond of, and Erin doesn’t share very much about himself. 

“Do you know what’s for dinner today, Erin-kun?” Fang asks, smiling at a young child who looks at him with wide eyes. Their bright red clothes are indicative of their identity as citizens of Bestia, and even the child knows that they are not from Lama. Fang isn’t sure why he bothers asking about dinner; Orion doesn’t have much variety when it comes to his food preferences. “Is it soba?” 

Erin shrugs. “Probably? The King doesn’t eat much else. I'm sure the chefs can prepare some meat for the two of you, though,” he tells them, jumping up onto a ledge and walking on it easily. 

“Erin-san, could you please walk like a normal person? On the ground?” Coda asks, looking up at the redhead. He can’t imagine that it’s safe to be walking on the ledge at the second floor, though Erin doesn’t seem to be having a lot of trouble with it at all. 

“It’s easier to patrol like this,” he explains, not for the first time. Coda always has an issue with him walking on higher ground, never mind the fact that the ledge was rather narrow and a normal person would’ve fallen by now. He pointed at the building in front of them. “The palace is right up ahead.” 

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here,” Fang says with a smile, admiring the metal fixtures adorning the exterior walls of the palace. He has always thought that Lama’s palace had a certain appeal to it, an impressive building constructed fully of steel. It isn’t as graceful as the palaces of Mistero and Sirena, nor is it as breath-taking as the palace of Alba. But there is still an air about the place that commands one’s attention to it. 

It  _is_  Coda’s first time actually entering the palace, though. He's met Orion on previous trips before, but they’ve always eaten outside and never in the palace. Orion and Fang have a tendency to drink themselves silly, which leaves Erin and Coda with the responsibility to bring them back safely. As such, Coda has never seen the interior of Lama’s royal palace. Everything he knows about it, he’s heard from Fang, and he’d be lying if he said that he isn’t the least bit curious about it. 

Erin nods at the guards keeping watch by the gates, gesturing for the travelling duo to enter. “I’ll get the King,” he tells them. “Wait here for a bit.” 

Before waiting for them to reply, Erin is already making his way upstairs. Except, of course, he isn’t using the actual stairs, instead leaping from one ledge to another to save time. Coda stares at him in disbelief; if Erin isn’t so obviously  _not_  a citizen of Bestia, he can easily be mistaken for one. His agility certainly can rival theirs. 

While waiting for Erin to return with Orion, Coda looks around the lobby. The ceiling is high, as it is with all the other palaces he’s ever stepped foot into. The emblem of the Star Gem is carved into the walls, ceiling, and the floor they’re standing on. The only difference, really, is the lack of a chandelier hanging above them, as well as the lack of vibrant colours in the place. 

“It’s your first time here, isn’t it, Coda-kun?” 

Coda nods, running his hands over the engravings on the wall. The metal is cool under his touch. There are words underneath the emblem of the Star Gem, but they’re written in alphabets that Coda doesn’t know how to read. “Is this the ancient language of Lama?” 

“Indeed,” a voice that is not Fang’s replies, and the two look towards the source of the sound. 

“Long time no see!” Fang offers as a greeting, and Lama’s King nods at his old friend. 

From beside him, Coda lowers himself into a bow. “It’s good to see you again, King Orion.” 

“No need to be so formal,” Orion dismisses quickly, and Coda straightens himself back up. “Let’s talk while eating. I’m sure we have quite a bit to catch up on, don’t we?” 

 

✵✵✵ 

 

One and a half hours later, Coda finds himself being shown around the palace by Erin. Orion was the one who instructed his attendant to do so, saying that he wanted to have a drink with Fang. It was almost scary how quickly Erin agreed. 

“You don’t like me very much, do you?” Erin asks, breaking the awkward silence between them. 

They're somewhere on the third floor, Coda thinks. He hasn’t been keeping track – it's unsettling to be left alone with Erin for any period of time. It feels as if Erin can see right through him, and Coda doesn’t like feeling that way. 

“...what makes you think that?” 

“Whenever you’re left alone with me, you look kind of... how do I put it? Not really afraid, but wary? Am I that scary?” Erin pouts for the second time that day, and Coda feels his face heat up. 

 _Why do I keep thinking that he’s cute?_  

“Should I not be?” Coda fires back. “I don’t know much about you. How do I know that you’re not just putting on an act around us? I haven’t met a King’s attendant that’s as carefree as you are.” 

Erin hums in thought. “I mean, the King isn’t really strict with me. He knows I prefer to do things at my own pace. Don’t worry. As long as you don’t pose a threat to the King, I won’t do anything to you and Fang-san,” he assures with a grin. “Anyway! This is our palace library.” 

Coda shoots Erin a dirty look; the redhead knows that he likes reading, and it’s obvious that he’s directing the conversation away from himself. Fang brought it up once, several months ago. He didn’t think Erin would remember. “It’s impressive,” Coda concedes, because the library spans a good three storeys, and every shelf is filled to the brim with books of all sorts. 

“I know! I think King Orion’s collected almost every book that exists! My favourite is-” 

Erin cuts himself off, the glint of metal catching his eye just before a dagger flies through the open window. It heads straight towards Coda, and Erin just barely has enough time to push the trader out of the way. He hisses in pain as the blade lodges itself into his shoulder. 

Eyes widening, Coda catches Erin as he slumps against him, and the Bestian curses under his breath. He quickly moves them away, to where they can’t be seen through the window, and lowers both of them onto the ground. 

Erin’s coat is already beginning to soak through with blood, and Coda pales at the thought of Erin dying on him. Because of him. “Oh, god,” he breathes out, hands shaking as he tries to think about what he should do. 

Before he even has the time to alert anyone, though, Erin is pulling the dagger out from between his shoulder blades.  _“Fuck,”_  the redhead winces, dropping the dagger unceremoniously onto the ground. He touches his fingers to the injury, face twisting into a grimace when he feels the bloodstained material of his coat. “His Majesty is going to be  _so_  pissed.” 

“A-are you okay!?” Coda asks in alarm. 

Erin manages a nod, taking a deep breath and schooling his expression into a neutral one. Coda doesn’t think he’s ever seen Erin without at least a hint of a smile on his face, and seeing Erin like this further affirms his belief that Erin is more dangerous than he seems. 

The former assassin turns to glance at Coda. “Stay here by the wall. I don’t know who that was or what they’re after, but I’m going to inform the King,” he says. “ _Don’t_ move from this spot.” 

Then Erin is jumping to the ground floor, landing without any of his usual grace. His injured arm protests the movement, but Erin pushes the pain to the back of his mind the way he’s been trained to, focusing instead on the task at hand. 

He pushes the doors to the dining room with his right arm, the uninjured one, and bows apologetically at the duo. “I’m sorry to intrude on your drinking session,” he begins, and already Orion is getting up from his seat. He knows fully well that Erin wouldn’t disturb them without a valid reason. “I believe somebody is after Fang-san and Coda. I don’t think it’s likely that they’ve mistaken them for Your Majesty.” 

“Was Coda hurt?” Fang asks immediately. 

“He’s fine,” Erin is quick to assure. 

“Erin’s the best in Lama,” Orion adds, brows furrowed into a frown. “But. You’re hurt.” 

“It’s not a big deal,” Erin says, not at all surprised that Orion knew of his injury. “I’m more concerned that the perpetrator will get away.” 

Sighing, Orion beckons a guard over. “Gather an investigation team and meet us in the lobby,” he orders, glancing at Erin. “Where did you leave Coda?” 

“Outside the library.” 

“Then let’s fetch him.” 

The trio hurry back upstairs to where Coda is, and Erin slams the door to the library shut before any more daggers come flying. There’re specks of Erin’s blood on the floor, and Coda looks up when he hears the others approaching. “You’re sure you’re okay, Erin-san?” Coda asks again, concern and anger written all over his face. 

“Something like this won’t kill me. Why're you holding the dagger?” 

“Oh,” Coda says, placing the weapon in Orion’s outstretched hand. “I memorised the scent of the dagger’s owner. I think I can find them.” 

“Are you out of your mind?” Erin demands. “Whoever this is, they’re after you.” 

“And yet you’re the one who got injured, weren’t you?” Coda argues, a growl threatening to rip its way out of his throat. He doesn’t let his animalistic side take over very often, but it’s easy to lose control when he’s as angry as he is now. Not at Erin, of course, but at the fact that Erin was hurt because of him. 

Orion nods. “He’s right, you know. Maybe you should stay here.” 

Erin flashes his King a sweet smile, despite the fact that his arm is screaming in pain. The tip of the dagger was laced with something – a sedative of sorts, a strong one. He suspects that the culprit works in the black market. There are people who think of the people of Bestia as exotic creatures, because of the blood of beasts that runs in their veins. “We have no time to waste, Your Majesty,” Erin reasons. “The culprit is escaping as we speak.” 

He doesn’t voice his suspicions, not wanting to waste more time, and turns to Coda. Erin has no doubt that someone as beautiful as Coda will fetch a high price in the black market, and he’s determined to make sure something like that never happens. 

 _Did I just think of him as beautiful?_  Erin realises with a start.  _Maybe the sedative is getting to my head._  

It’s a poor excuse, of course. Erin has long been trained to resist sedatives and poisons of all sorts during his time as an assassin. He can’t deny, though, that the sedative used was strong enough to affect even him. Already his senses are beginning to feel dull, and Erin just wants to hunt the culprit down before his body stops responding to him. 

“You said you can find the dagger’s owner?” Erin asks for confirmation, and Coda nods. “Lead the way.” 

Coda looks hesitant, eyes fixed on Erin’s injured arm, and the latter sighs. “Please. We don’t have time.” 

“Okay,” Coda gives in eventually, and together they make their way down to the lobby. The guard from before has already assembled a team, and they’re ready to move out. 

Fang puts a hand on Coda’s shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this?” 

“I’m the one they’re after,” the younger says, and Fang nods in understanding. 

Pulling his turban and robe off, Coda allows his ears and tail to reveal themselves. Erin doesn’t let himself get distracted, instead making a mental note to ask Coda to show him again after they chase the culprit down. He watches as Coda gets down on all fours, sniffing the air before bolting out the main doors. 

Erin is quick to follow, even though his body feels heavy and he thinks he may not be able to keep up. As it turns out, Coda in this state is extremely agile, which honestly shouldn’t come as a surprise. He  _is_  part beast after all, and it takes everything in Erin to keep up. 

The footsteps of the King and Fang, along with the team, are loud behind them, and Coda continues forward to where he knows the culprit is. 

They end up near the outskirts of the city, and only then does the culprit finally come into sight. He's running away from them, as he rightfully should be, but he isn’t nearly as fast as Coda is. He tries to throw another dagger at Coda, but Coda’s reaction is much faster in this state, and he dodges the weapon with ease. 

It doesn’t take long for Coda to catch up with him, and the Bestian tackles him to the ground, snarling at the man. “Who are you and what do you want?” Coda demands, pressing down firmly on the man’s shoulders and legs to keep him from struggling. 

“Get off me, you monster!” 

“Coda, watch out!” 

In a normal situation, it would be easy for Erin to kick the concealed pocketknife out of the man’s hand, but he’s injured and drugged and his movements are slower than usual. He manages to shield Coda from the knife with his forearm, and he grunts as the blade slices through flesh and muscle. 

This knife, too, is laced with sedatives, and Erin barely registers his name being called out before everything fades to black. 

 

✵✵✵ 

 

It’s two days later that Erin awakes to pain lacing through his entire left arm. 

He blinks at the light filtering into the room through the curtains, and he figures that morning must be long over by now. The figure by the foot of his bed is decidedly not that of Orion’s, and Erin raises a curious brow as he calls out, “Coda?” 

Coda’s head snaps up from where it was resting. “Erin-san...? You’re awake! I’ll get the King.” 

“Wait,” Erin says, subconsciously reaching out with his injured arm and letting out a string of curses. He mumbles out an apology to Coda, whose eyes are wide in surprise. “I’ll greet him myself. Just, give me a little time. Anyway, isn’t this my room?” 

Coda’s cheeks tinge pink, and Erin can’t help but think, again, that Coda is rather beautiful. 

“It is,” Coda says, clearing his throat and willing himself to stop blushing. “I was the one who requested to stay here until you woke up. After all, it’s my fault that you were injured twice in the same evening. How're you feeling?” 

“Could be better,” he admits, “but I’ve felt worse. What happened to the man?” 

Grimacing at the memory, Coda replies, “King Orion had him beheaded immediately. He said that injuring his attendant was akin to treason, as was targeting his guests. He had tests run on the daggers and knives; they were smeared with sedatives?” 

At this, Erin laughs sheepishly. “Sorry for not saying anything about it. I didn’t think it was a big deal.” 

“Those sedatives are... lethal to those with Bestia’s blood,” Coda admits. “Thank you, Erin-san.” 

“Oh.” That, Erin wasn’t aware of. “You’re welcome, I guess?” 

Coda gets up from the chair abruptly and bows to Erin. “I’ll forever be in your debt. Please, if there’s anything I can do to thank you for saving my life...” 

“...your ears.” 

“Huh?” 

A teasing smile makes its way onto Erin’s face. “Let me touch them. Oh, and your tail too!” 

“I...  _huh?_ ” 

“No good?” Erin pouts, and Coda feels himself flush again. “I’ve just been really curious about it, so...” 

And Coda  _knows_  how curious Erin has been, because Erin has always asked him to let him see his ears and tail. He's refused every single time, but Erin  _did_  just save his life. Twice, in fact. “Just once, alright? I'm a little, um, sensitive, so please try not to touch too much.” 

The way Erin’s face lights up makes Coda feel less reluctant to go ahead with this, and he removes his turban and robe. Coda feels extremely self-conscious as he approaches Erin’s side, leaning down just enough for the redhead to reach out and stroke his ear. 

“Your hair- fur? It’s really soft,” Erin marvels, moving his hand down to brush against Coda’s tail. “Wow... hey, why’re the tips of your ears and tail white?” 

“My mother had white fur,” Coda explains, trying his best not to squirm. 

Erin moves his hand back up to touch Coda’s ear, tentatively scratching the spot at the base of his ear, and he has to bite back a smile at the way Coda’s tail twitches.  _He’s like a little puppy, oh god,_  Erin thinks.  _No wonder he never wanted to show me his ears and tail._  

“Um, Erin-san? Is this enough?” 

“Yeah,” Erin chuckles, dropping his hand back onto the bed and watching Coda put his turban back on. He pushes himself off the bed, sighing at the persistent throbbing through his left arm. “Okay, let’s go and report to King Orion that I’m very much alive. He must be worried.” 

“Extremely,” Coda says, following Erin out of the room. “He said he’s never seen you pass out like that.” 

“Ah, crap!” Erin exclaims suddenly, and Coda startles. He's about to ask if something is wrong, if Erin is hurt in any other areas, when the redhead lets out a frustrated groan. “He was surprised, wasn’t he!? All this time I’ve been trying to surprise him, and the  _one_  time I manage to do it, it’s because I fainted! How disgustingly lame!” 

Coda stares at Erin, unsure of how to respond. “I’m sure you’ll be able to get him again?” he tries. 

“You think so?” Erin looks hopeful, and Coda doesn’t want to dash his hopes, so he nods. “I hope I do! I didn’t try so hard all this time for nothing!” 

The guard opens the door to the throne room upon seeing Erin approach, seeming relieved to know that their King’s attendant was finally awake. “Sorry for worrying you,” Erin apologises, thanking the guard and stepping into the throne room. “Your Majesty, it’s Erin.” 

Orion turns around so fast, Erin fears his King might sprain his neck. “You’re awake?” 

“Evidently,” Erin says, pursing his lips when he sees Orion heave a huge sigh of relief. “I’m sorry.” 

“You were extremely reckless, I won’t deny that,” Orion sighs again. “But Coda is alive because of you, and the culprit has been dealt with. Next time, though, tell us if you’ve been sedated. I thought I was going to lose a few years off my life.” 

“I heard you were surprised,” Erin complains, “and I wasn’t able to see it!” 

“ _That’s_  what you’re concerned about?” Orion questions incredulously. “Not that fact that you nearly died? I know you’ve undergone rigorous training in the past, but please,  _don’t_  act so rashly next time.” 

“No promises.” Orion sighs,  _again_. “Can I head out for a bit?” 

This time, it’s Coda who responds. “You’re not even recovered yet!” 

“I’m not going to patrol or anything,” Erin rolls his eyes, gesturing at his bandaged arm. “Can’t do much with this without reopening the wound, right? I just want to get new clothes. Coda can come with me!” 

“Fine, do what you want,” Orion says defeatedly. “Coda, please keep him out of trouble.” 

“I’ll try.” Coda expression mirrors Orion’s, and he begins to regret agreeing to this when Erin grabs him by the arm and leaves the palace. 

 

✵✵✵ 

 

One hour into their walk, and Coda has lost count of the number of people who’ve expressed their concern regarding Erin’s injury. 

It's to be expected, considering Erin  _is_  their King’s attendant, and the fact that he’s injured is a cause of concern for the citizens of Lama. He tells them that he simply got into a small accident while training, and that the King is in good health. It's enough to appease anyone who asks, and they’re usually left alone after that. 

Erin buys two new outfits and a new pair of shoes. He doesn’t have to pay for anything, and for that Coda is mildly envious. “All my bills are charged to His Majesty,” Erin explains when asked, taking his purchase from the cashier and handing it over to Coda. 

“That’s a lot of faith he has in you,” Coda says dryly. “He isn’t afraid that you’ll squander his money on meaningless things?” 

Erin snorts and rolls his eyes. “No, he isn’t. I  _do_  have my own money. More than enough of it, actually. But who am I to refuse my King’s offer to pay for my expenses?” 

“Lucky you,” Coda mutters under his breath. “Where to now?” 

“I guess we can head back to the palace. Oh, maybe we can continue our tour of the place.” 

“Actually, King Orion showed me and Fang-san around while you were unconscious.” 

“That was my job!” Erin protests. Coda wonders how the King’s attendant is _this_ childish. “Then can you hang out with me for a bit more? His Majesty isn’t going to let me resume my duties as his attendant in this state, and you’re going to be here for a little while longer, right?” 

Burst Roar’s stay on Lama was extended from four days to two weeks, courtesy of Erin getting injured for Coda’s sake. Both Fang and Coda wanted to make sure Erin was recovered before they left for another Star, and Orion was more than willing to accommodate their stay. 

“You do remember Fang-san and I are staying in the palace for the time being?” Coda reminds. 

Orion reasoned that it wasn’t safe for the duo to be staying at an inn, for security reasons. It wouldn’t be good if they got attacked again, so he made the suggestion for them to stay at the palace instead. They agreed, only because Orion was right, and it was easier for Coda to check up on Erin that way. 

“I know,” Erin replies. “We can sit in the garden and talk, maybe?” 

That's exactly what they do after returning to the palace and putting down all of Erin’s purchases. 

The garden is situated above the library, and Erin picks up some snacks from the kitchen before they head there. It takes some time for them to find a comfortable position on the grass; Erin’s injured arm doesn’t make it easy for him to settle down. 

Somehow, they manage, Coda sitting on Erin’s right and pulling his legs to his chest. “What did you want to talk about?” he asks, unsure of how to begin the conversation. 

Erin is rather different from how Coda imagined him to be – Coda always thought of him as someone who wasn’t tied down by responsibilities, and it surprised him when Erin was so quick to move into action. He thinks that maybe he was wrong after all, and that Erin isn’t as dangerous as he once thought he was. 

“Were you scared? Of being targeted, I mean.” 

Coda ponders over his answer; he isn’t very sure. “A little. I've never been targeted like that before. But you were protecting me, so I think I wasn’t too scared when we were chasing after the guy,” he finally replies a minute later. “I guess I _was_ pretty shocked in the library, though.” 

“Was it scary to know that His Majesty beheaded the guy, then?” 

“I suppose he had it coming. I didn’t watch it, though. I’m not big on blood and gore.” 

A wistful smile comes across Erin’s face. “I’m an orphan,” he starts. 

“So am I.” 

“We’re not the same, Coda,” Erin tells him. “You didn’t kill your parents. I did.” 

“...what?” Coda asks in a small voice. His blood feels cold in his veins; he wants to believe he heard Erin wrongly, but he knows that isn’t the case. His first instinct is to flinch away from Erin;  _murderer,_  he wants to scream. But Erin is also his saviour, and Coda wants to at least hear him out. 

“I killed my father, with my own two hands,” Erin repeats, as if Coda didn’t hear him the first time. “He wanted to kill me, you know? Something about how I shouldn’t have been born, because my mother passed away while giving birth to me. I don’t even know what I did wrong, honestly. I was only five when he pointed a knife at me.” 

“So, you defended yourself?” 

“Pretty much,” Erin shrugs. “I got picked up by my master, and he trained me to become an assassin. I killed for a living, Coda. Then I met His Majesty and joined his cause, and because my master wasn’t in the same faction as me, I killed him too.” 

Erin meets Coda’s terrified gaze, and he laughs bitterly. “Are you scared of me?” 

Coda bites on his lower lip, wondering if he was that transparent with his emotions. One can hardly blame him for reacting this way. He supposes Erin has told this same story to other people before, seeing as he isn’t even fazed in the least by Coda’s reaction. 

And while Coda  _is_  scared, rightfully so, he also feels bad for Erin. If he didn’t kill his father, then his father would’ve killed him. If he didn’t become an assassin, then it was likely that he wouldn’t have met Orion. If he didn’t possess the skills he learnt from being an assassin, Coda would be dead by now. 

“I am,” Coda admits, then takes a deep breath, “but you’re not a bad person, Erin-san.” 

“What makes you so sure?” 

“Because you saved me,” Coda says simply, managing a small smile. “And you’re not proud of what you’ve done. You're a good person, I can tell.” 

Coda pretends not to see the tears well up in Erin’s eyes. “Thank you.  _Thank you._ ” 

 

✵✵✵ 

 

The rest of Coda’s stay on Lama is spent with Erin, for the most part. 

Erin accompanies Coda and Fang when they go around town to trade, asking questions about their profession on the way. He also helps to check on the citizens on Orion’s request, relaying their messages to the King after they return to the palace for the day. 

They spend their free time talking about each other’s interests – their hobbies, favourite foods, books. Coda learns that Erin is just as big a fan of reading as he is, and they spend hours talking about books they’ve both read before. 

There are also times when they don’t speak at all, each immersed in a book recommended by the other and spending the afternoon just reading. They lean against each other, making the occasional comment about the story, but otherwise stay focused on reading. 

Coda finds that his first impression of Erin, while not completely wrong, is quite different from who Erin really is. Erin is dangerous, there’s no denying that, but he is also curious and easily excitable. When he asks Coda to remove his turban for a second, third, and fourth time, Coda gives in, because Erin’s smile is worth any embarrassment he feels. 

It's all too easy to let down his guard around Erin, and Coda has to remind himself that Erin isn’t as harmless as he appears to be. After all, nobody else has managed to steal his heart this quickly, so Coda is convinced that Erin _is_ still dangerous. 

He wonders if he feels this way only because he’s grateful to Erin for saving his life, but his heart skips a beat whenever Erin leans in too close, and his eyes often find themselves fluttering shut in anticipation for something more. 

Coda doesn’t talk about his feelings, not wanting to acknowledge them, not wanting to run the risk of being turned down. Erin must have many more people who like him, and Coda is probably just another fish in the sea. 

But, when Coda isn’t looking, Erin reaches out for his hand, wondering what it would feel like to hold Coda’s hand in his own. There aren’t many people who are able to accept his past, and Erin has long ago learnt to treasure those who can. He finds comfort in the way Coda’s lips soften into a smile, finds familiarity when Coda nags at him to be a little less reckless.

He doesn’t want their time together to come to an end. 

But all too soon, it’s time for Burst Roar to leave Lama for Alba. 

Orion gathers them in the throne room the morning they’re set to leave, and Erin stands by his side. He's recovered enough to resume his regular duties, and for that Coda is glad. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t worried about Erin and his tendency to push himself past his limits. Without Coda, there would be one less person to worry and fuss over Erin. 

Erin, admittedly, is reluctant to see Coda leave. He knows it’ll be months before he gets to see the other again, and while that didn’t seem like a long time before, it now seems like an eternity to wait. 

Erin has always been interested in Coda, and finally getting to know him better doesn’t lessen that interest in the least. If anything, it only makes Erin want to learn more about Coda – the way he shies away when his tail is touched, or how he seems to get drowsy if Erin pats his ears for too long. 

He isn’t sure if he can call this emotion  _love_ , but he knows it is well on the way there. Erin knows with certainty that Coda feels the same way about him, although perhaps to a different extent. They lock gazes with each other as their respective leaders say their goodbyes, and Erin barely registers Fang thanking him, again, for saving Coda’s life. 

“Well, we’d best be going,” Fang says, turning to exit the throne room. “Shall we, Coda?” 

“Okay,” Coda says, shoulders slumping in resignation. “Then, I’ll see you again, Erin-san. King Orion.” 

The duo begins to make their way out, and Erin doesn’t want to part with Coda like  _this_. “Wait!” 

When Coda turns back to look at Erin, he is met with arms thrown around his neck, pulling him closer to their owner. “E-Erin-san?” Coda stutters, and he  _knows_  his face is red. 

Instead of giving a verbal reply, Erin plants a chaste kiss to Coda’s cheek, and the latter feels like he’s about to internally combust. 

And then Erin pulls back, ever-so-discreetly peeking back to look for Orion’s reaction. His eyes light up in delight when he sees Orion’s jaw hanging open, and Erin looks at Coda. “I did it! I  _finally_  surprised His Majesty! Can you believe it, Coda?” 

Coda deadpans. “Was... was that all you were aiming for? A reaction from King Orion?” 

“Eh? No, wait, Coda-” 

“You’re an _idiot_ , Erin-san.” Coda jerks himself out of Erin’s hold, and he isn’t even sorry that he jostles Erin’s injured arm. He storms out of the throne room, right past Fang, and Erin looks between Orion and Fang helplessly. 

“I’ve never seen Coda this pissed off...” 

“That’s because you-!” Orion lets out a long, suffering sigh. His attendant is an exceptional guard, but he can be so incredibly _dense_ at times.  “Just go after him. And explain yourself to him.” 

Erin nods before running out of the room after Coda, and Orion exchanges a look with Fang. “Let’s hope they figure this out on their own,” Fang says, and Orion can only nod in agreement. 

“Coda, wait!” Erin shouts, but Coda doesn’t even acknowledge the redhead. He's already made it to the lobby, and Erin decides that the fastest route down is, of course, to jump. 

Which is exactly what he does, and when he lands with a thud, Coda turns to stare at him in disbelief. 

“You just recovered,” he scolds, before he catches himself and clears his throat. “Not that it’s any of my business. I’m just a tool you made use of to surprise King Orion, aren’t I? Was it fun, playing with me like that for the past week and a half?” 

“I wasn’t doing it to surprise him!” Erin defends quickly, moving so that he’s standing in between Coda and the main doors of the palace. “I promise, that wasn’t my intention at all! I just didn’t want to see you off without leaving you something to remember me by!” 

“You say that as if you’re going to die soon.” Coda’s tone is unimpressed, extremely so. 

Erin sighs, and he looks Coda straight in the eye. “I like you, okay? Is that clear enough for you?” 

“ _Maybe_ you should’ve said that  _before_  telling me that you finally managed to surprise the King,” Coda sighs, sounding unconvinced, but his cheeks are burning and Erin knows that Coda isn’t as angry as he sounds. He doesn’t protest when Erin pulls him towards him once more, and this time Erin opts to press a kiss to Coda’s lips instead of his cheek. 

Coda’s lips are softer than he imagined they would be. This time, after Erin pulls away, Coda leans in for one last kiss. “I’ll miss you, Erin-san,” Coda admits aloud, closing his eyes when Erin presses their foreheads together. 

“Me too,” Erin sighs. “Maybe now I’ll get to see you more often? A few months is too long a wait.” 

“I’ll see what I can do about it,” Coda offers. 

“Well, I think we really should get going,” Fang says from behind them, and the two jump apart as if they’ve been burnt. Burst Roar’s leader simply laughs, patting Erin on the head and grinning at him. “I won’t forgive you if you bully Coda, got it? Don’t ever make him cry.” 

 _“Fang,”_ Coda groans. 

“I can’t believe Erin got a boyfriend before me,” Orion sighs sorrowfully. “Off with you two, then. Don’t make him wait too long. Erin’s not the most patient person out there, and it _is_ his first time being in a relationship.” 

Erin gives his King a withering look, and together they watch Fang and Coda board their caravan. 

“See you soon!” 

Coda nods, smiling and waving at his now-boyfriend. “See you later, Erin-san.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I VOMITTED THIS THING OUT IN 25 HOURS WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE...
> 
> I might (probably not) add more to this thing if ever the inspiration hits (maybe when hoshimegu story is out ingame and we get a better feel of their characters)
> 
> Also I apologise if the ending seems a little rushed/strange bc I had no idea at all how to end it HAHA
> 
> I hope yall enjoyed this Very Self Indulgent thing and it's time for me to go back to typing i7 abo orz
> 
> P.S. i need to stop with this word count thing


End file.
